Reenforced gland massage device



Oct.13, 1936. .1. J. HAYNOS I REENFORCED GLAND MASSAGE DEVICE Filed Dec.7, 1935 vez'zar J J 1 /9770 Patented Oct. 13, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention is a prostate gland massage device.

It is well known that material benefit is obtained in numerous glandcases by the gentle massage of the gland and as a consequence there istoday a considerable demand in the medical profession and among prostategland sufferers for an effective, non-irritating and painless means forthe facile treatment of these internal glands.

Prior to my development in this art' there was not available on themarket any simple, practical device which could be safely andpractically employed for prostate gland treatment or massage. Because ofpeculiar anatomical disposition of these glands and the danger ofinflammation a device for effective and unharmful treatment must haveincorporated in it certain properties, capacities and safety features.It must have sufficient flexibility to quite easily bend in conformancewith the body channel leading to the gland to be treated and yet it musthave enough stiffness not to fold back and to be pressible onward untilits tip is juxtaposed at the gland. It must have sufiicient firmness toafford the desired resistance pressure at the tip to produce therequisite massage pressure. And, importantly, it must be possessed of ahigh degree of safety against mechanical break-down.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide adevice, for the treatment of the specified gland, which embodies factorsof construction for the satisfactory accomplishment of the treatmentwith the stated desired mechanical safety.

The invention consists in certain advancements in this art as set forthin the ensuing disclosure and having, with the above, additional objectsand advantages as hereinafter developed, and whose construction,combination and details of means, and the manner of operation will bemade manifest in the description of the herewith illustrativeembodiment; it being understood that modifications, variations andadaptations may be resorted to within the scope, principle and spirit ofthe invention as it is more directly claimed hereinafter.

Figure 1 illustrates the invention in sectional, side elevation, and

Figure 2 is a cross-section on line 22, Fig. 1.

This embodiment incorporates a handle 2 of suitable length and of adiameter providing for its substantial or firm grip in the closed adulthand. At its inner end the handle joins integrally with a discal guard 3beyond which extends axially a shank 4, also integral with the handleguard 3.

The outer end of the shank 4 is provided with a distinctly elongated,cylindrical head 5. This head is made of rubber as, also, is the shankand. its associated guard and handle. It is a feature of the inventionthat the head 5 is materially softer than the shank so as to painlesslyadapt its shape to the gland body being treated, the elongation of thehead 5 providing for a length of area for massage stroke without suchirritation as the ridge irritation which would be due to a change ofsize from shank to head incidental to movement of the head at the localeof the gland.

The shank 4 must be of rubber of such quality and stability that it canbe entered into the channel and press the head toward the gland and thento be stiff enough to apply a desired degree of pressure of the head onthe gland, but at the same time it must be sufficiently bendable as topainlessly adapt itself to the curvature of the channel. Further,attention must be had for the possibility of break-down of the rubbershank with the consequence that the head of the instrument might be leftin the canal. Therefore, in producing a device with these requisites thepurer the quality of rubber used the greater will be the flexibility andless the danger of break-down, either in the development of small cracksor entire separation of broken parts. It is therefore necessarytoreenforce the shank 4 of such soft rubber so as tosecure the necessarybending reaction to apply the head to the contiguous gland, after thedevice is inserted, with a massaging pressure.

This reenforcement is here acquired by means of a helical metal spring 6whose several coils are spaced apart enough to permit the rubber mass ofthe shank to solidly fill within and between the coils as the rubber iscast thereabout. Thus the spring builds up the shank to the desiredstiffness and yet provides plenty of flexibility, and provides for ahigh degree of safety of retraction in the event that the shank shouldbreak into sections. And still no metal parts or other hard portions arepresented to cause undesired irritation of the tender membranesencountered.

For economy the guard 3 and the handle 2 are made of the same rubberstock as the shank, but the increased diameter of the handle over theshank gives to it the needful stiffness to effectually operate theinstrument.

Suitable fiuid ducts are shown cored in the handle and the shank toprovide for circulation of fluid to the head 5 as may be desired, theseducts being encircled by and isolated from the spring 6.

The greater diameter of the handle gives to it a greater, desired degreeof firmness than the flexible shank, though of the same stock of rubber,for economy of manufacture, and, as above stated, the coiled springdevice embedded in the shank and anchoring in the handle provides asafety factor for the Withdrawal of parts of the shank in event of itssegmentation axially.

Attention is directed to U. S. application for patent, Ser. No. 20,958,filed May 11, 1935, over which the device of the instant invention is animprovement in the structural details above set forth, especially as tothe important reenforcing feature.

What is claimed is:

l. A prostate gland massage implement including a handle having anaxially extended, headed shank of flexible rubber which is reenforced bya coaxial, embedded, helical spring whose coils are spaced in theembedding rubber mass, whereby to stiffen the shank and provide a saferetractive' connection of parts of the shank in event of its breakinginto separable axial sections the shank having fluid ducts encircled byand isolated from the spring.

2. A gland massage device including a shank and a firm, integral coaxialhandle on one end thereof, both being of the same quality of rubber andthe handle being of materially greater diameter than the shank toachieve a greater degree of stiffness than the latter, and an enlarged,elongated cylindrical massage head on the opposite end of the shank andof softer rubber than the shank, and ducts extending from said head tothe handle for fluid circulation, and a reenforcing spring embedded inthe shank and handle andsurrounding and isolated from the ducts.

JOHN J. HAYNOS.

